Hints and tips:
...It comes after Lufthansa agreed to take a 41 per cent stake in ITA Airways, the successor company to Alitalia, the now-insolvent flag-carrier back in May....
...ITA will also be able to bid for the right to trade under the name Alitalia....
...ITA, the airline formerly known as Alitalia, has been nationalised and is seeking a buyer....
...“Alitalia and MPS haven’t been profitable for decades yet they were kept alive with public funds and politically driven strategies,” said a former member of government....
...ITA took over the Alitalia brand for just €90m, far short of the original €290m asking price....
...ITA took over the Alitalia brand — and the right to use its green, white and red livery — for just €90m, far less than the original €290m asking price. The name Alitalia, however, is to be abandoned....
...Long-haul flights are also at the core of Alitalia’s relaunch strategy following the latest injection of taxpayers’ money....
...But breaking with Alitalia’s past has so far defeated all who have tried....
...The European Commission has opened an investigation into a €400m Italian government loan to Alitalia after complaints alleging it breaches state aid rules....
...Atlantia, which is controlled by Italy’s Benetton family, said it remained open to negotiating with the Italian government about a plan to bring private capital into Alitalia....
...Last week Rome approved an injection of a further €400m into Alitalia after no private sector bidders emerged to take over the airline....
...The plan also would be the third direct injection by Atlantia into Alitalia....
...As owner of Fiumicino airport, Alitalia’s hub, Atlantia has an interest in ensuring the airline’s survival....
...Bailouts of Alitalia have already cost the Italian taxpayer at least €9bn over more than a decade....
...In addition, the Italian government has so far ruled out maintaining an equity stake in Alitalia after the sale....
...Rome, Alitalia’s main hub....
...The sale and restructuring of Alitalia had earlier been delayed by the change in government in Rome....
...Air France-KLM looked at Alitalia last year but is not expected to renew its interest....
...Alitalia and the Italian ministry of economic development declined to comment on the EU probe. EasyJet and Wizz declined to comment....
...Brussels is investigating whether €900m in bridging loans to Alitalia from the Italian government were illegal under the bloc’s state aid rules....
...Watch out for Alitalia syndrome If Mr Macron would like to see another example of a failing state-owned airline, he need only turn his eyes south-east....
...Most likely, this means the fate of Alitalia will be decided after the general election in Italy, set for March 4. Alitalia and AF-KLM declined to comment....
...EasyJet also said on Monday that it had expressed interest in some assets of a restructured Alitalia....
...Before the UK operator came Germany’s Air Berlin and Italy’s Alitalia. Europe’s carriers are in crisis, you might think. Think again....
...All of Alitalia’s contracts were under review, including aircraft leasing contracts, he said....
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